Kapolei rallies past King Kekaulike into D1 semifinals

Kapolei's Jayleen Abregana (2) and Kaile Tuisamatalele put up block on a kill attempt by King Kekaulike's Chandler Cowell. Glen Pascual | Special to SL

Shekinah Clarke posted a match-high 20 kills and hit .421 to help Kapolei rally past fourth-seeded King Kekaulike in a quarterfinal match of the New City Nissan/Hawaii High School Athletic Association Division I Girls Volleyball State Championships at Kaulaheanuiokamoku Gym in Pukalani, Maui Saturday night.

The Hurricanes (13-3) dropped the first two sets, but won the next three to stun Na Alii (12-2). The scores were 22-25, 18-25, 27-25, 25-18 and 15-8.

Breannalye Rodrigues put down a team-high 12 kills to lead King Kekaulike, the Maui Interscholastic League champion. Treyanna-Lee Freitas registered 10 kills with 23 digs and five aces and Victoria Kunishi distributed 32 assists with 14 digs, three kills and three aces.

After winning the first two sets, Na Alii hit negative in each of the next three sets. They hit .012 for the match as a team.

Kapolei hit just .035 for the match. Malia Transfiguracion dug a match-high 35 balls and Annika San Nicolas had 11 digs and 37 assists.

The Hurricanes, the Oahu Interscholastic Association runner-up, will play defending champion Kamehameha in a 5 p.m. semifinal match Friday at McKinley's Student Council Gymnasium. The Warriors swept past Waiakea in another quarterfinal Saturday.